To Wish Upon a Black Star
by GullibleGearworth
Summary: Keeping their identities safe in the forms of human bodies, Sonic and his friends learn to live alongside the scornful humans on humanity's last hope: a city-sized space station known as the Rift-basically a scifi AU featuring the Sonic Squad in human bodies, hoping and working to gain the same rights as their human neighbors
1. Chapter 1

Hello curious fanfiction reader, and welcome to a story that was originally intended to be a _joke_! This is a scifi AU that a dear friend of mine came up with recently and decided that this was something that needed to be put down on paper immediately. I will attempt to update this as much as possible (with author's notes when needed) and if you have any questions you're more than welcome to ask :) My name is Portal, and my collaborator is Spiney, AKA 24-7Anxiety from deviantART. I hope you enjoy our story!

A heavy mist clung to the recycled air like a lifeline on the biospheric-space station known as the Rift. It was cold, and quickly-melting frost clung to the windows of small resident houses to city skyscrapers, giving off an almost fantastical sparkle. It was a small beauty in the ever-so ghastly Mobia district, or otherwise known as The Slums. It was a repulsive territory. Concrete and mud made 90% of the district ground, grass was a sight easily forgotten, and trees never grew. Small, identical houses lined the streets, leaving very little between each building. You had no choice but to know your neighbor, no matter how undesirable they may be.

A few miles to the North, large smoke stacks could be seen exhaling the noxious fumes that seemed to fester towards the ratty town. Most of the residence of the Mobia district worked in the factories that the smoke stacks belonged to. Hundreds of citizens would fill up the morning buses and trains, while others would walk to their local job at the Markets. Rusty iron fences made up the border of Mobia District. It was the only gated district in the entire station.

The streets were made of gravel and unkempt blacktop. The sidewalks were uneven and had tripped many a pidestrian in a hurry. Hurry. Everyone was in a hurry... except for one. No one paid any mind to the thin male in his twenties dragging his feet to nowhere in particular. He kept his head low, one malnourished hand lightly gripping the rim of his hood, keeping his face hidden. It was obvious the young male didn't want to be noticed. Such a poor creature was worth no one's time, and a poor creature he was. Reaching into his jean pocket, he pulled about some change. The man paused in his tracks to count the money, only to sigh to himself. He had already counted the change earlier, and didn't know why he bothered to count it again. Perhaps he hoped that by some miracle he would have enough to buy himself a decent meal, but such hopes were beyond his grasp and were wasteful thoughts.

Oh, how he hoped and dreamed. He dreamed of a open field with the wind whipping around him as he soared, his feet barely touching the ground. He hoped that he would wake to see his friends smiling at him, asking him playfully where he had been. The young male shuddered as a cold wind buffeted him, as it howled mournfully to him in his time of sadness. There was a time he would chase the wind and would _win_.

But that was then, this was now. He was no longer who he once was. He no longer went by Sonic, but by his new name, Lee. His once strong legs were only able to keep him standing, and his once azure pelt was replaced with dry peach skin; that of a human. The male picked at his skin in annoyance. Two years and he still wasn't used to such a texture. His thoughts were suddenly interrupted as a group of teens rushed past him towards a growing crowd.

Sonic grimaced at the shouting coming from the audience. Curiosity getting the better of him, Sonic shuffled his way into the shouting crowd to see a old man waving a staple gun, a propaganda poster in the other. Sonic stood nervously as the deranged old man screeched his hateful words.

"Do you see this, my fellow humans? These animals are the real enemies! They first flooded earth's land after the Metarex destroyed their planet, and their escape caused the destruction of our own home!" The old man's voice seemed to rip into Sonic like a knife.

Surrounding humans cheered and shouted their own opinions of the species.

"It's their fault!"

"I lost my home and children to those Metarex! Those stupid animals lead those monsters to our home!" A woman shouted, spit flying from her mouth.

A man behind Sonic shouted. "And what of that Hedgehog!?"

Sonic swallowed. Perhaps he should leave now.

"yeah!" Several cheered in unison. "Where was Sonic!?"

Sonic's heart clenched as memories of fire and screaming scarred his mind.

"Why, we all ask, has the fault of our destruction been allowed to mill among us? To poison our food and water supplies, to rape our wives and terrorize our children, to put a degrading staple on our new home?!" The old man continued.

Sonic's head snapped up at such degrading words.

"Rape!? Terrorize?! The Mobians were peaceful. They caused no harm! It was you humans who drove them to such...standards!"

Sonic snapped his mouth shut as he quickly became the center of attention. He had done it. He had said "humans".

The old man limped towards him. "Odd that a _HUMAN_ such as yourself would hold such creatures in high regard. Unless...unless you're one of them."

Sonic swallowed not knowing what to say. His lack of response gave the elder his answer.

"I heard rumors that the Mobians had figured out a way to disguise themselves as human. I never believed that our very own Government helped fund such...horrendous acts, but here you are!" Sonic flinched as spittle from the older man landed on his face.

"He's one of them, one of them alien animals!" A pimply, scrawny teenage boy called out, pointing towards Sonic's thin, tall form.

In response, the crowd began to move towards Sonic. Sonic whirled around ready to dash to only come face to face with a fist. The world spun as the thin male fell to the ground. His center of gravity seemed to shift as he was lifted from the muddy earth and thrown into a wall. Sonic gasped as his back collided with the metallic surface. Sonic quickly scrambled to his feet to only get knocked down by another swing to the face. Metal scraping could be heard as the ratty teen raised a bat to strike. Sonic closed his eyes tight as the bat made impact. Sonic kept his mouth shut, not giving these human the pleasure of hearing him scream.

Sonic began to wonder if he was going to die. He found himself hoping for such a fate.

"I say we kill him!"

"Yeah! One less rodent!"

Welp, there was his answer. Sonic smiled as he heard a distant rumble of thunder coming down from the road. Suiting that he should die as a thunder storm brewed. The thunder rumbled louder. Sonic cracked his eye open as the teen raised his bat above his head, reflecting the sunlight into his eyes.

Wait, sunlight, but...

Before Sonic could ponder anymore a gunshot pierced the loudness of the shouting crowd. Opening his eyes fully Sonic could see the bat the teen was holding laid on the floor with a smoking hole in it. Sonic noticed that he was no longer the center of attention and he struggled to get to his feet.

'I have to get out of here..' he thought frantically.

Sonic faintly heard shouting as he limped as fast as he could away from the crowd. His ears were ringing.

"Hey! The rat's trying to get away!" A woman screeched.

Sonic turned to see a scraggly woman heading towards him with a broken piece of pipe, but before he could turn to run, another gunshot was heard followed by screaming. On the gravel gripping her leg was the woman, her weapon forgotten. A pool of blood began to form from the woman's leg.

" ** _I SAID: LEAVE HIM!_** " A deep voice echoed in the air. Sonic turned to see the owner of the voice; it sounded familiar to him. On a large, steaming motor bike sat a fairly built human male. In his leather gloved hands was a heavy looking gun pointed directly at the woman. Sonic gasped. Sure these humans were about to kill him, but he wasn't going to let anyone get killed, crazy hag or not.

"No! Don't!" Sonic yelled as he staggered in front of the now sobbing woman.

The older male locked eyes with Sonic, and the once Mobian couldn't help but feel a sense of deja vu. Sonic couldn't see the man's eyes, for he wore sharp riding goggles, but he could feel the other narrowing his eyes at him.

The bigger male laughed lightly to himself. "Always the hero!"

Sonic blinked. Did the guy know who he was?

Before Sonic could reply, the bike roared to life and sped in his direction, causing the fallen hero to flinch. Tires squealed in protest as the rider brought his bike to a sudden halt in front of the shaking male. Opening his eyes, Sonic looked to see the biker reaching with an outstretched hand.

When the bigger male got no response he stretched his arm out further.

"You can stay here with these humans, or you can come with me. The latter decision lacks death, FYI."

Without hesitation Sonic mounted the bike.

"Wise decision." The biker huffed, revving the vehicle and speeding off.


	2. Chapter 2

The pair on the bike sped away from the commotion and into the heart of the space station, where most of the hustle and bustle of human life took place. More humans than Mobians lived here, and with the center being better off and wealthier than the outer slums, the entire area was a hustle and bustle of lights and sounds. Animated hologram billboards displayed the newest and hottest clubs, unnecessary medical treatments, and even _robotic sex droids_.

Holding onto his rescuer's waist, Sonic couldn't help but stare up in awe at the electronic signs, displaying goods and services that no one really _needed_. He had scraped his money to pay for shelter and food, and these people were wasting their currency on games and time-wasting services; the old man should've been preaching about life in the center of the Rift. About the filthy rich who shoved their kids into daycare and extra school hours so that they themselves would have the freedom to waste their money on gambling, shopping, or change their whole appearance thanks to plastic surgery procedures. But of course, the _real_ danger were the Mobians on the outer rim, minding their own lives in modest flats, working hard to put food into their children's bellies, causing non-existent problems that everyone cried about.

Sonic's deepened thoughts came to a slow end as the biker came to a stop at a glaring red light, planting both feet on the ground to hold his balance, stretching his cramped muscles as other vehicles gathered around him, and waiting for the green signal. Sonic couldn't help but relish the sensation of his savior's thick muscles underneath the heavy leather coat as he slightly tightened his grip. His sweet relief of being alive took over his actions, and he couldn't help but rest his chin on the motorcyclist's shoulder. "So, does the damsel in distress get to know the title of his knight in shining armor?" He asked.

The rider chuckled just as the light turned green, leaning forward to speed past traffic. "I'm surprised you didn't recognize me at first, _faker_."

Faker. Sonic grinned. It was a term he hadn't heard in _years_ , and the name oddly warmed his heart. After all this time, after so many years of searching to only go to bed hungry every night, he had finally found a fellow Mobian: Shadow the Hedgehog.

"How did you know I was the speedy and mighty Sonic?" Sonic asked as the bike slowed down and turned the corner, crawling its way through a more urban area of the metropolis.

"Well, seeing one human being surrounded by a mob of other humans is a rare sight, these days," Shadow explained. "And….I don't really know, I guess something in me just…clicked. I might've been the eyes. I'll explain everything once we get there."

"Get where?"

"You'll see. I think you'll learn to like this place we're going."

Shadow pulled his massive bike up to the curb, right in front of a high-end café. Sonic climbed off first as the engines were cut, moving his stiff, yet stretched muscles. He turned to see Shadow pull down the kick-stand, and watched as the other hedgehog finally removed his gloves and helmet.

He hadn't seen any of his friends once exiting the shapeshifting machine, but now, he was oddly pleased to see that Shadow was his first new, friendly face. Shadow was still a few inches shorter than Sonic, but he was most certainly more built than the blue Mobian. Above rounded shoulders was a strong, sharp jaw, speckled with a five o-clock shadow, accented with his most striking features: his semi-circle, bright red eyes. Sonic couldn't help but grin at the familiar accent that was the stripe of red in his wavy, raven-toned locks.

"After all these years you've still kept those stripes?" Sonic laughed, using the advantage of his height to ruffle Shadow's hair.

"I came out of the machine this way," Shadow replied, pushing Sonic in a playful way. "I'm surprised your hair isn't fucking _blue_ , buddy."

Entering the doors, the café they had stopped at was definitely a building from an older part of the city. Already, it was warm and familiar, not too sharp and modern, like the structures in the actual center of the Rift. The walls were painted dark hues of red and brown, and golden lanterns glowed softly along the walls and ceiling. The aroma was that of coffee beans and warm bread; Sonic knew that this was a safe-haven, and he could relax, and just let his mind at ease for a bit.

"Maartyyyyy, you're back!" A curvy, white-haired waitress cheered as she gave Shadow a quick hug, balancing mugs of beer on another hand. "It's been awhile, where've you been?"

"Well, the shop downstairs has been super busy these days, but for the most part I've had a big mission to take care of , and today," Shadow—whose human name was something along the lines of Martin—explained as they took a seat in a booth in the far corner. "I found… _him_. You're gonna want to get Brian over here."

The waitress gasped, giving Sonic a pat on the shoulder. Sonic suddenly recognized the waviness of the platinum-blonde locks, the sky-blue eyeshadow, and her friendly, sassy attitude towards everyone. "Rouge the Bat," Sonic quietly commented. "It's been awhile!"

"It has," Rouge replied, rolling her eyes as a rude, drunken customer called her by her human name, Tracy. "Before I go back to work, what's your human name, Sonic?"

"They call me Lee," Sonic whispered as she turned to Shadow, who ordered two warm coffees and a large bowl of pasta for Sonic. Rouge turned away to deal with the man before heading into the kitchen. Sonic's mouth watered at the idea of a nice warm meal, something he had been looking forward to all day. He didn't even bother to whip out his ID, either; although Shadow had a history of not being the friendliest hedgehog, he still knew that the older being was still willing to help out a friend and fellow Mobian. He was glad that he had found some of his friends, but what was next for him? Sonic didn't want to have to rely on Shadow for transportation to the center every day, and now that he knew where he truly belonged, there was no way he was going back to the slums.

Suddenly, a hulking shape loomed over Sonic, and he looked up to see an absolute beast of a man. Without warning, the larger man pulled him out of the booth and into a crushingly tight embrace. "I can't believe we found you, Lee! It's been years!"

Sonic hugged him back, recognizing the voice of Knuckles the Echidna, who now went by the name of Brian. Sonic pulled back, holding Knuckles by the shoulders to get a good look at his features. His face was sharply-toned as well, with middle-parted red hair that hung straight down to his shoulders. The man blinked away cybernetic contacts to reveal lilac irises.

"It wasn't you who found him, it was me, _Brian_ ," Shadow taunted him, earning a soft smack to the back of the head. Sonic sat back down, staring up at his old pal.

"Don't treat my new title as a joke, Goth Claudia," Knuckled retorted with another rude nickname. "We're all stuck with boring-ass titles, thanks to Robotnik."

"Lighten up, everyone," Sonic replied, gaining some chuckles, which he hadn't heard or felt himself in years. "At the least the squad has gathered once again, now in the forms of Lee, Martin, Brian, and Tracy."

"Don't forget Mile-" Knuckles began, but was stopped thanks to a kick to his shins from Shadow. "What?!"

"That part comes later, we're just here for a meal, Brian," Shadow explained in a harsh tone. "I'll be explaining everything to him now, no thanks to you."

"Wow, didn't know you were so salty today," Knuckles commented, turning to head back into the kitchen. "By the way, your food should be ready in a bit."

Sonic smiled as Knuckles ruffled his hair, finally turning to weave through tables, pushing the doors to the back open for Rouge, who was bringing them their coffee. As they sipped their drinks, Shadow began to constantly gaze upon the other patrons, keeping a watchful eye for any suspicious characters. In the minutes that they waited, Rouge finally brought out Sonic's pasta, which he gratefully scarfed down immediately.

It was then that Shadow kept quiet, using the moments while Sonic ate his meal, to watch their surroundings for any suspicious patrons. While he did so, Sonic took the chance to observe his friend in closer detail. His skin was slightly darker, the same color his muzzle had been back in his hedgehog body. His jaw was strong, holding up thin, yet shapely lips, and a slightly pointed, wide nose. Shadow's human body was very handsome indeed, to the point if Sonic wondered if his own form was considered as "attractive" as Shadows was. Sonic didn't think anything of his staring until Shadow's eyes twitched in his direction, letting his lip lift into a slight, half-smile. He had caught him watching, eliciting a blush from Sonic, who turned away immediately.

Even as he observed the other man, Sonic couldn't help but follow Shadow's watchful eye. It was plainly obvious that Rouge and Knuckle's establishment was a safe-haven for all and any Mobians, but they also had the select few human customers as well. They were obviously taking a massive risk, running their business outside of the slums and near the center of the city. What if some inclusive human figured out that this place was used as a safe house for Mobians, and they were reported to the authorities? Together, they'd all be kicked out and thrown back into the slums, maybe even into prison. They could even be running the possible risk of execution.

"So, how did you manage to find Rouge and Knuckles?" Sonic couldn't help but ask as he leaned back, picking at the remains of his meal.

Shadow shrugged. "In an ironic twist of events, Rouge and Knuckles ended up being neighbors after they were moved to the slums. They basically pooled their money together and decided to find some way to make a living. Eventually they bought out this entire building, and I managed to run into them when I came in for a drink after a long mission."

"Mission?" Sonic couldn't help but ask, letting out a small burp. "G.U.N's still around?"

The older man grinned and shook his head. "Oh no, they're looong gone. Instead I've taken up the position of an…information broker, you might call it."

Sonic had heard of the term before, but didn't know exactly what it meant. "So what, you spy on people and trade gossip for cash?"

Shadow nodded. "Last week I got three-hundred dollars to get photo evidence of some politician sleeping with his house maid. Sent the story anonymously to the media—that gave me an extra two-hundred to add on—and of course, the politician's wife paid me the bulk of it. So yes, I received five-hundred to take pictures of some sleazy government worker while he banged the cleaning lady."

Sonic leaned back in his seat. "Huh. I might have to sign up for that."

"You don't already have a job?" Shadow couldn't help but ask as Rouge refilled their drinks.

Sonic held his head, grinning in slight embarrassment. "Haven't had one since we got here. I had a couple thousand to my name, but now I'm down to four-hundred. All of my money went to rent and some food, so I've spent all of my time looking for…for you guys. I haven't had any luck, not since you picked me up from that angry mob."

"You're welcome, by the way."

"But how come it took you so long to find me?" Sonic asked. "I don't mean to sound selfish, but…Shadow, it's been two years!"

The dark bike-rider simply sipped his coffee, leaning across the table. "It has been two years, and I've been looking for you in those two years. Apparently, you were thrown into the slums and commanded to _stay_ there."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Shadow put down his drink. "Tell me the layout of the Rift, Sonic. You see it as Mobians in the outskirts and the well-to-do humans closer to the center, correct?"

"Well, yeah," Sonic replied, beginning to fold his napkin out of boredom. "Isn't that how it's always been?"

Shadow pinched the bridge of his nose, swearing under his breath. "That's always you, Sonic the Hedgehog, following the rules, not even thinking to check the center of the Rift?"

"Shut up." It was all Sonic could muster. After all these damn years, his friends had been thriving in the center? He had been scouring the slums, and no wonder he hadn't found a single hint; they weren't even close to the outer rims of the city. Suddenly, it was all too much; as unappealing as it seemed, he wished to fall back into his uneven floor mattress. It was apparent that Shadow was ready for a nap as well. "Still, who else have you found?"

"Well, you, obviously, Knuckles and Rouge, Tails and I work in his garage when I'm not on missions-"

"You found Tails?!" Sonic couldn't help but blurt out at the mention of his closest friend. "How is he?"

"He's…better, actually." Shadow hesitated. "He owns his own car garage in the basement of this same building, so he'll fix anything for anyone."

Sonic dropped his head in his hands, more relief filling his heart. "Any news of Amy? Or even Silver?"

Shadow shook his head as Rouge brought their check. "No word from them. However, now that I've found you, they're the next…targets, you could say, on my list."

Sonic said nothing. Nothing came to his mind anyway. His life obviously finally had a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow at this point, but still…he honestly didn't know how to feel. Shadow and the others would help him get a job, his own, nice, clean flat, and restart everything. But in reality, life would never be the same.

There was a chance they would never get their old, original bodies back. They would still have to live in semi-hiding, to be cautious at dropping hints of their true identities. Tails and Rouge would obviously be more than willing to train and hire them into their professions, and even Shadow would possibly start taking him and training him to be an information broker. On the bright side, Sonic's bank account would finally be healthy again, and maybe soon he'd be back on his feet; now, he could buy his own flat, and finally learn to live and have a good time.

"It's getting late…" Shadow commented, standing up from the booth.

"Yeah, thanks for the meal, by the way," Sonic replied, pulling on his coat.

Shadow only waved his hand away. "Just direct me to your flat, after I show you something."

"Show me what?" Sonic asked.

"You'll see," Shadow replied, a hint of humor in his rough voice. "Let's just say, a certain someone will be happy to see that you're alive."


	3. Chapter 3

Rouge and Knuckle's building was located on a steep hillside towards the western edge of the downtown area. The café side—appropriately named Chaos Cuisine —faced one busy street, and was situated next to an open lot, creating a makeshift alleyway leading to the other street. Analyzing the building, Sonic didn't get the chance to realize how big it was. Above Chaos Cuisine were the flats where the gang took home; it seemed as if the entire building was meant to be the group's headquarters.

Even more, the other side was the destination that Shadow was so eager to show him; a massive, two-car garage with an office attached to the right-hand side. A flickering, neon-placard above the main garage doors read the name M.P. Technicians; although the location and appearance seemed dingy, the innards and office of the business were fairly decent.

Stepping cautiously, Shadow lead Sonic into one of the open garage doors, which _appeared_ to be completely empty; however, judging from the sounds of a faintly-playing radio and the scrapes and clinks of metalwork, there was someone still busy at their project. Signaling for Sonic to be as quiet as possible, Shadow put his fingers to his lips, leading Sonic into the area where the lone mechanic was still busy as work.

Cautiously side-stepping around an idly sitting car, Shadow and Sonic snuck over to see a smaller pair of legs sticking out from underneath a gorgeous, black Cadillac Escalade. Judging from the movements and soft self-mutterings, whoever this mystery worker was, they were clearly involved in what they were doing.

Reaching over, Shadow turned off the radio, which had been broadcasting coverage for a local horse race track. As if on cue, the worker underneath the vehicle voiced his obvious protest. "KNUCKLES, I SWEAR ON MY _LIFE_ , IF YOU SO MUCH AS-"

While he continued to rant threats, Shadow reached above the radio to an array of car keys, snatching the pair that belonged to the Cadillac. Placing his thumb over the many buttons located on the key fob, Sonic prepared himself for the worst kind of scare ever.

Without warning, the cars lights flashed as horns and alarms of all types exploded into lights and sound. The mechanic underneath jumped, visibly hitting his forhead on the car, and yelling more protests as he slid out from under the triggered machine. He screamed in pain and shock, stumbling forward to rip the keys out of Shadow's hands. " _OH, NO ES KNUCKLES, ES ALGUIEN PEOR_ ," The tinier man screeched in rapid-fire Spanish, to Sonic's complete shock. " _? CREES QUE ES UNJUEGO PARA DARME UN ATAQUE GODDAMN CORAZON_ -"

" _¿Es posible para que usted tome un respiro y me escuchas?_ " Shadow asked, replying back in the same language, which confused Sonic even more, before switching back to English . "I was only trying to get your attention, Tails. Besides, I have someone who-"

"T-Tails?" Sonic couldn't help but blurt out,-ignoring his thoughts as to why his friends were suddenly fluent in Spanish-staring incredulously at his younger friend. Upon further inspection, the mechanic was obviously the same age as Sonic and Shadow's human bodies, but had still retained his smaller, frail shape. Although he was covered in oil and grease, Sonic could also see slightly-pointed ears, shapely lips, and wide blue eyes, the brightest color on the stained worker. His hair was a dirty blond color, and Sonic was surprised to see that he had already obtained bits of silver in his young locks. The kitsune was smaller, but he was still full of some feisty fire.

Tails said nothing; it only took looking Sonic up and down to see who the guest was. With a quivering lower lip, Tails jumped forward, crushing Sonic in a tight hug, who didn't hesitate to return the action. Although he felt relief, it still hurt him to think about what Tails had felt while he was missing. In those years, he wondered if the group pondered on his whereabouts; with guilt flooding his heart, he had completely forgotten about what Tails might have been doing or thinking, hoping that Sonic was even alive.

Sonic was tall enough to place his chin on top of Tail's head, who continued to sob into his chest. Shadow glanced over at them, but turned and continued to pick at his nails, letting the reunited brothers have their alone time.

"You're alive, I-I can't believe you're alive, Sonic!" Tails mumbled, rubbing away the tears that had managed to escape his eyes. "Where have you been?"

Sonic stared, unsure of what the appropriate response would be. "I've spent all this time looking in all the wrong places, apparently," He replied. "It just so happened that Shadow over here managed to find me today."

"Right before you managed to get yourself beaten and possibly mugged-"

"ZIP IT!" Sonic snapped, not wanting to worry Tails.

Much to both of their surprise, however, Tails doubled over and began to laugh hysterically. "You nearly got mugged?! Sonic the fast and mighty hedgehog was nearly _mugged_!?"

"Wow, Tails, I'm glad to see that you're so concerned about my wellness and safety," Sonic sarcastically commented as Tails began the process of shutting down the business for the night. With sharp clacks, the overhead lights were dimmed, and any doors and windows were locked securely. Then, with a slight limp—Sonic noted with concern—Tails finally took them into the side office, where they could finally have a nice chat. A chat that they had been waiting on for two whole years.

Even in the office, Tails washed his arms and face in a rusted industrial sink before officially pulling down the blinds and locking the main office door. A TV mounted in the corner was shut down as well, and the only lights left on were that of Tails' personal office. "I might as well close early tonight," He explained. "I mean for one, I have guests, and two, the owner of that Escalade can't seem to take a damn hint."

"Hint of what?" Shadow asked as they took chairs across from Tails' desk, which was shaken by his small feet planted on top. "That's not the one with the muffler problem?"

"Exact same one," Tails mumbled, pinching the bridge of his nose. "These filthy-rich humans think they can drop their cars off here whenever there's even the _slightest_ problem. A scratch in the paint? Bring it to Miles, he'll clean it right up! The radio won't catch a decent signal? Miles'll know what to do! The one I was just patching up apparently isn't _quiet_ enough."

Shadow groaned, and Sonic leaned forward, suddenly interested in their talk of cars and how the human-made machines worked. "How do you fix a muffler like that?"

"It's really all about replacing any of the pipes or wrapping sheet metal around it to…muffle more of the sound," He explained. "At this point I'm just replacing the damn thing. The owner's paying me enough, so I'm hoping this is the last time they'll stop in."

While the three men discussed cars and work, Sonic couldn't help but look up around the place were Tails took care of paperwork and meetings. The walls were plainly decorated; a few frames of employees and outside friends hung here and here, but one poster behind Tails himself truly caught his eye. Protected in a heavy-looking frame was Tails' hand-drawn blueprint for his infamous space shift, the _Blue Typhoon_.

"Is that what I think it is?" Sonic interrupted, smiling at the memories—good and bad—that took place on the machine.

Tails turned around, grinning and blushing in pride. "Yep, that's her! Or…at least what's left."

"Where is she?" Shadow even asked, leaning forward to study the detailed pieces.

Tails ran his hands through his short hair. "Those instructions were all I managed to spare from Earth. That poster and a few of my personalized tools were all I was able to take with me once they opened the Rift to the general public. My _Typhoon_ was destroyed after the first few days of the Metarex's arrival."

"Sorry to hear about that," Sonic commented, frowning.

Tails only shrugged, tugging loose strings from a tear in his work trousers. "Thanks, Sonic. But it's not that big of a deal, I guess. Besides, I'm saving up my money, I know a few junk traders, and even Knuckles say's he might know someone who'll give me access to a bigger garage."

"You're gonna rebuild a spaceship while living on another spaceship?" Shadow pondered, leaning up against the doorframe, instead of taking his seat next to Sonic.

Tails chuckled. "What other options do we have? That'd be a dream, for all of us to live on the _Blue Typhoon_ instead of this human-controlled dump, wouldn't it?"

Sonic was surprised at Tails' spiteful words; hell, at his whole attitude. Normally, Tails was generally quiet and respectful, and he _never_ swore. Sonic couldn't really blame him, with their current situation, but still, he didn't think Tails would be completely void of all optimism, would he? There had to be more to the young kitsune, a truth that Sonic would have to get out of him at another time.

But who knows when that other time would be? Sonic needed to know how Tails had been doing in the last two years, and if anything drastic had happened in his life. "So, Tails, how did you find Shadow and the others?" He asked, changing the topic once again.

To his shock and regret, the room became dead silent. Tails froze for a split second, as if Sonic had triggered….some sort of memory. "I…we…well, just like you, actually! Shadow came into the garage to see if we could repair his bike. I told him about…Knuckles and Rouge's café up the hill, and he found them there."

Shadow resisted the temptation to clear his throat; glancing at the two of them, Sonic could see that it was a straight lie. His heart felt as if it was shriveling up inside of his chest; was it too early in their reunion to delve further into Tails' answer?

"What time do you normally close?" Shadow suddenly asked.

"You work here, you dunce," Tails grinned, plastering a seemingly fake smile onto his young, worn face. "Normally around nine, but since I'm the boss of this joint, I get to give myself an hour of quiet before our doors close."

Shadow only nodded, and Sonic couldn't help but look at his scuffed shoes in embarrassment. But Shadow was right; it was getting late, and all of them would need some time alone in the form of a long night's rest. "Besides, I need to make a delivery to the outer rim."

All three of them stood from their chairs to leave the office. Awkwardness and embarrassment aside, Sonic was glad to know that Tails was at least safe and healthy, and he was sure that Tails' emotions returned the favor towards his friend. "Hey, come back in tomorrow morning, we'll get your papers signed and fitted for a uniform." Tails exclaimed right before they stepped out into the quiet city street.

"Papers for what?" Sonic asked, although the answer was quite obvious.

"I'm hiring you, man," Tails replied, grinning. "Unless you already have a job to attend to?"

Sonic hung his head in slight shame. "Haven't had one since I got here, most of my time was spent looking for you guys, and….I couldn't take the risk, you know?"

Tails only nodded. "While I'm at it, I'll get you some paper for Chaos Cuisine as well. You up for both?"

Ecstatic, Sonic nodded, grinning as they both stepped forward for a good-night hug. "You take care, Sonic," Tails whispered. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Will do, Tails."

Tails' angry Spanish translations (I will explain why they're speaking Spanish in the next chapter)

~ OH, NO ES KNUCKLES, ES ALGUIEN PEOR = OH NO, IT'S NOT KNUCKLES, IT'S SOMEONE WORSE

~ ? CREES QUE ES UNJUEGO PARA DARME UN ATAQUE GODDAMN CORAZON ? = YOU THINK IT'S A GAME TO GIVE ME A HEART ATTACK?

~ ¿Es posible para que usted tome un respiro y me escuchas? = Is it possible for you to take a breath and listen to me?


	4. Chapter 4

Alright kids, here's the fourth chapter, with a bit of a warning for some violence and generally dark references.

. . .

The ride home was quiet and somewhat solemn, to say the least. Leaning up against Shadow's heavier frame, Sonic imagined that he would feel somewhat at ease, or maybe rest up for a bit, but none of that came to him. As the city crawled into nighttime, more lights and sounds blared ever than before; this was when most of the clubs and late-night bars open, and when people would get off work to escape for a few hours. Even in the outskirts, more Mobians were seen wandering and getting ready to party or just to gather.

However, the emotions of the pair on the bike were not at all like the emotions of those around them; Shadow especially seemed tense, causing his turns to be sharp and without warning. More than once, Sonic's chin would collide with Shadow's shoulders as the older hedgehog would stop the bike suddenly and at the last second, often times causing the tires to screech. Something had happened to Shadow since he had picked up Sonic, and Sonic had an idea that it was something that had to do with Tails.

Sonic began directing the older man down countless streets and alleyways when they finally made it to the farthest of the outskirts. Making their way down one nearly empty area, Shadow pulled his motorcycle to a stop in front of a row of dingy, abandoned townhouses. One of them, however, was obviously home to Sonic.

However, the mistreated units weren't the most depressing sight in the area. The Rift itself was basically a giant, flying-saucer style station, with sections of mile-wide windows placed here and there on the outside of the Rift. Three of them—the ones placed on the north, west, and south side, offered a spectacular view of the stars and cosmos beyond. It was the eastern side, however, that no one dared to talk about, and couldn't look at without feeling ill; the eastern window of the Rift gave its inhabitants the view of planet Earth's shriveled and burning remains.

And it just so happened that Sonic's flat had a first-row view of the horrific, reminding image.

Sonic climbed off of the bike for the second time that evening as Shadow took a look around the decrepit neighborhood, and eventually at the rotted view of their old planet, as Sonic took out his keys to unlock his front door. "Wow, you sure did pick the _perfect_ location," Shadow commented as Sonic fumbled for the correct keys.

"I didn't choose this area," Sonic replied, a scowl beginning to form on his face at the grim reminder of his perfect view. "It just so happens that this flat was chosen to help display my failures."

Shadow said nothing, only shut down his bike and followed Sonic up the steps, coming to attention at the loud creaking of Sonic's chipped front door. "Look, would you…like to come in for a drink, or something? I might have some coffee…," Sonic asked, keeping his eyes lowered.

Without even looking into the foyer, Shadow could tell that the inside was just as worse as the outside. The innards of the structure were barely livable, even for one such as Sonic, and it was visible that the state of his home wore away the pride of the young Mobian. Still, he was at least trying to make up for it by being a hospitable host to his old friend, and that could've counted for anything.

Following Sonic through the door, Shadow could see that _if_ the place itself had been cleaned and arranged with a few pieces of decent furniture, it might've been a simple place to live. However, the state that Sonic was living in actually managed to make Shadow feel _something_ in his old heart.

The actual carpet and walls were clean, save for a few stains, and one large crack on the wall, but the most noticeable thing is that the place was simply…barren. Upon further inspection, the layout of the one-level townhouse was meant to be a living room, kitchen, bedroom, and one bathroom. But with the _actual_ bedroom door being practically rusted over with a layer of dust, it was apparent that only three of the rooms were used.

The kitchen own the hall had a single, yellowing light hanging above a rickety card table. In the living room was nothing but a simple floor mattress, covered in an array of mismatched blankets and pillows. Shadow could understand Sonic's misuse of the intended bedroom; having a larger, empty area in the center of his home would drive the hedgehog insane.

Putting it all together in one big conclusion, Shadow realized that this wasn't a _home_ at all; it was simply a shelter, a place to stay with protection from the outside world.

"Would you like some coffee?" Sonic asked, shedding his coat and scarf as he leaned over to check the contents of the fridge. "I don't have any sugar, and…yeah, my milk's gone officially bad-"

"Black is fine," Shadow interrupted, saving the other hedgehog from further embarrassment. He could see that having a guest was destroying Sonic's pride; the rest of his friends had well-paying jobs and larger, cleaner homes, and he had been thrown in the slums to wallow in a tiny, damp flat. Hell, he couldn't even provide a decent drink for Shadow, who didn't care for it much, anyway.

After pouring the hot beverage into the only mug he owned, the room suddenly became silent, and…oddly cold. Shadow couldn't help but watch Sonic's body language as he waited for his drink to cool down; from the way Sonic held his arms to his chest, something was clearly bothering him, and it wasn't the awkwardness of one another's company.

"At the garage…" Sonic finally mumbled, and Shadow steeled himself, preparing for the worst. "What in the hell happened to Tails? I mean, what's…what's wrong with him?"

Shadow's anger suddenly bubbled up and broke free, anger at everything and anything, and anger especially at Sonic's ignorance. "Tails grew up." He growled. "We all got jobs and learned to live with our new bodies and ignored the fact that some of us are still _children_."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Sonic retorted at Shadow's sudden rant.

"It means that while you were out here looking in all the wrong places, giving up at the end of every day, we were in the center fearing for our goddamn lives and _trying_ to make a decent living!"

"You think I wasn't trying?!" Sonic retorted, using the advantage of his few inches of height over Shadow. "You think I wasn't starving every night and taking the risk of leaving my own fucking house to look for you guys?!"

"You weren't just taking enough risks, were you, Sonic the Hedgehog?" Shadow mockingly asked, a frustrated smile baring his teeth. " 'Humans and Mobians fear one another!'. Bull. Shit. We don't fear Sonic; we _survive_ , human or Mobian. And do you know what we did? Worked our asses off and at least tried out life in the center of this fucking Rift."

Without any warning, Sonic lunged at Shadow, but the darker man was much faster. In a red and black blur, Sonic was pinned to the empty fridge, held up with only one of Shadow's massive hands against his throat. Breath was still able to enter and leave his body, even with the death grip around his windpipe, but it was the solidness of the hold and the feral, defensive rage in Shadow's eyes that terrified the younger Mobian.

Realizing what he had done, Shadow stepped back, slowly letting go of Sonic, who touched his bruised neck in disbelief. Shadow leaned against the counter behind him and raised his chin, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, hoping to calm down.

A few moments of endless silence were the only thing stretched between the two hedgehogs. Eventually, it was Sonic who finally spoke up, holding himself in even more so than before. "We're not okay," He whispered to no one in particular. "None of this is _fucking_ okay."

Shadow lowered his head, gripping his thick hair to the point that he could feel each follicle pulling at his scalp. On the outside, he was calm, but on the inside, his frustration levels were now through the roof, and he could only think of one way to lower all of his emotional levels.

Leaning against the fridge, Sonic watched in utter confusion as Shadow shrugged off his coat, turning his back to Sonic has he pulled his shirt up and off over his head. This action not only exposed his skin, but also exposed a gnarled, angry array of pinkish-white scars crisscrossing the back of his neck. "Feel the back of your neck, Sonic. Do you feel a small, square bump just underneath the skin?"

Sonic mumbled a barely-audible "no" and Shadow scoffed. "Of course you…wait, what did you say?"

"I said no, I don't have a fucking chip in me," Sonic replied, still carefully watching Shadow, who still grabbed his shirt from the floor to pull it back on. "Was that the one they used for…immunization, or something?"

"Supposedly, but that's what they wanted you to think, correct?"

Sonic only shrugged and nodded, fearing the truth to what this "chip" really was. "I managed to find a way out of the terminal hospital and escape before they could even get the injection gun near me." Sonic exclaimed, letting more truth of his story escape. "That's why I never got the chip, and why I'm so…fucking wary of going to the center. I feel like a wanted criminal."

"Well, lucky for you, they won't be able to find a trace of you, or even us. Why? Because that chip was intended to prevent diseases, but it was mainly used as a tracking device."

"What for?" Sonic pondered, pulling himself on the countertop.

Shadow took a deep breath. "I'm assuming that since you never got the chip, you never served a year in indentured servitude for some rich human family."

Sonic froze. This had to be the worst of Shadow's story, of the history of the Rift. He had heard rumors and even seen some Mobians out wearing strange, tiny collars, but he never would've imagined it to be something as serious as this. Just thinking about the concept, and how he didn't need to do anything of that matter, made him sick to his stomach.

"'All Mobians are to serve one year of service to a human or human family before receiving the right to the procedure of transformation to a human body'." Shadow repeated the law, rubbing his scar as Sonic took the thought into consideration.

"You're telling me…you…you and Tails were… _slaves_?!"

"Oh look, he finally sees the light at the end of the rainbow!" Shadow exclaimed, throwing his hands into the air for dramatic effect. "Yes, you might as well call it that. We had chips that came with complementary collars, no lives, no freedom, the whole kit-and-caboodle!"

Sonic stared down at the floor, not sure what the proper response was. "Does that mean…Rouge and Knuckles were…enslaved as well?"

Shadow nodded with fake enthusiasm, staring down into the coffee that he still hadn't touched. "Look, I don't know exactly what they were used for, but…they saw some nasty stuff, Rouge and Tails especially."

"I know I'd rather get the full story from the source, but… _what happened to Tails_?" Sonic finally asked.

Shadow rubbed his stubble-coated jaw, glancing around the apartment as if he was looking for an answer. "I'll…look, let's just go back to the building. You can't stay here, neither can I, for that matter," Shadow explained, receiving a dirty look from Sonic. "You're gonna want to sit down while we really talk. And I'm sure Rouge and Knuckles should have a guest room that you can stay in."

"What, you want me to drop everything and leave this flat?" Sonic asked, letting out an incredulous laugh, yet hopeful and confused at the same time.

Shadow shrugged. "If you can, but if not, we can take care of that later. But none of this is good for us, and I can't just drive you back and forth every day."

Taking a few moments to evaluate his choices, Sonic finally made up his mind, looking up to meet Shadow's red irises directly with his emerald-green ones. Eventually, he solemnly nodded. "I'll grab a few things, then I'll meet you out by the bike."


End file.
